It’s Fine to Media.Fine Art Media for Wide Format.

By Digital Output Staff

Media used in fine art reproduction and photography ranges from canvas to fabric, film, foamboard, paper, photo paper, and rag. Multiple vendors supply products over 24 inches in width for wide format digital printing. The September issue of Digital Output includes a chart of manufacturers and suppliers in this space. Click here to view online, download, or print. Here, we share information on specific fine art media product lines by vendor.

3A Composites USA’s Fome-Cor Acid-Free is comprised of white extruded polystyrene foam with crème-colored acid-free paper facers for conservation mounting and framing. Fome-Cor Acid-Free is ideal for the archival preservation of valuable art and photographs. No additional backing is required, saving time and framing materials. It is made in the U.S.

Agfa Graphics’ Duratex Semi-Matte Artist Canvas is a thick 15-mil product recommended for artist canvas prints. It is designed for long-term, fade-resistant fine art or photo reproductions so it can be used for museums, stores, offices, schools, homes, or any type of high-end print to be displayed. It is acid-free and features superior stretchability for wraps. It is designed for latex, solvent/eco-solvent, and UV cure inks. Its special coating gives it a high degree of water resistance and superior color gamut.

Aurora Specialty Textiles Group Inc. recently expanded its fine arts line of digitally printable canvases with the addition of the Expressions Canvas line. Aurora’s proprietary Expressions coating technology is engineered to optimize print performance on today’s solvent, latex, and UV printers. Along with enhanced color gamut, customers report outstanding color pop and ink densities while reducing ink usage and increasing run speeds. Aurora’s Expressions Canvas products are available in widths up to 122 inches.

Big Systems LLC specializes in quality fine art and photographic media for digital printing, especially photo paper, fine art paper, canvas, fabric, and films. Some of its newest offerings include canvas, fabrics, backlit film, and photo papers for the HP L300 and L500 series latex printers and the new Epson SureColor S-X0600 series printers.

Breathing Color Allure Photo Panels are a coated aluminum that can be printed on directly using an aqueous printer. This allows print makers to sell metal prints without investing in all of the expensive equipment used for dye-sublimation (dye-sub) metal prints and it eliminates the waste typically associated with the dye-sub process.

CalComp Graphic Solutions offers both CanvasWrap and CanvasTac inkjet printable canvas compatible with solvent, latex, and UV printers. Both products are 17-mil thick and available in white, gold iridescent, and silver finishes for a unique look. CanvasWrap is used for stretching over frames. CanvasTac is near opaque, can be contour cut, and features a microsphere removable adhesive for application to a variety of wall and window surfaces.

Canon U.S.A., Inc. offers Photo Paper Pro Platinum media, a glossy paper designed for top photographers looking to capture the subtle textures of an image in each print. This paper offers extraordinary color performance with vivid colors and firm blacks. The Photo Paper Pro Luster is a semi-glossy paper with a coating that provides a calm texture. Fast drying—this paper helps to increase productivity, while its resistance to the effects of lighting make it ideal for exhibition and galleries. With a smooth surface and a natural whiteness, the Photo Paper Pro Premium Matte is ideal for B&W images due to its ability to capture fine details and gradations.

Dickson Coatings’ Jet Tex is an acrylic-coated polyester fabric with a linen-like texture that is lightweight, glare free, and flame retardant. It’s slightly stretchable and easy to wrap around the frame. Other applications include wallcoverings, banner stands, indoor banners, and backdrops. Apart from the regular version, Jet Tex also comes in two highly decorative embossed versions—Turtle and Snake.

EnCore Products’ Design Boards are a collection of foamboards featuring unique surfaces. Prints, digital artworks, logos, patterns, and reproductions of art and photography are just a few examples of what may be directly printed to EnCore Design Boards. The collection includes Canvas Boards, Cork Board, Chalkboard, Dry Erase Board, Extreme White Board, and the newest addition; Brushed Aluminum Board.

Epson Legacy Papers—Legacy Baryta, Legacy Etching, Legacy Fibre, and Legacy Platine—are Epson’s most advanced line of photographic papers. Designed in collaboration with many of the world’s greatest artists, and working closely with revered European papermakers, galleries, and chemical engineers, these unique papers are developed for those who intend to exhibit and sell their prints, both to art collectors and investors. The Legacy Paper line produces outstanding black density and color fidelity, along with exceptional archival properties required for collectible works of fine art.

True Baryta by Felix Schoeller is a real baryta paper with a true baryta coating. The inkjet paper is based on true baryta coating technology with a tradition of decades in fine art photo paper manufacturing.

Fisher Textiles recently added a Semi Gloss Artist Canvas, style GF 4395, to its lineup for solvent, latex, and UV printing. It features a specially designed top coat that provides a wide color gamut and offers consistent photo quality imaging. This style is comparable to Fisher Textiles’ popular GF 4394 Art Canvas but with an added sheen. This canvas weighs 11 oz/yd2 and is stocked at 126 inches wide. In-house slitting capabilities allow the company to slit to the width of your printer. Applications include indoor banners, fine art reproductions, retail displays, and wallcoverings.

Folex AG Fine Art Paper Contour is a top-coated matte archival artist paper 310 gsm, with a subtle texture which is made from acid-free 100 percent cellulose, for producing high-quality fine art reproductions or fine art photography. The coating ensures brilliant colors with superb flatness with high density blacks. Ideal for classic paintings. Coated for great performance with water-based pigment and dye inks from Epson, Roland, Mimaki, and Mutoh.

Guyenne Papier’s most popular fine art wide format product is Decolov M1 140g. Decolov is a universal media compatible with inkjet water-based, eco-solvent, solvent, mild-solvent, UV, and latex printing. It is flexible, tear resistant, hard to crease, and M1 fire resistant and may be used either indoors or outdoors. It has very good acoustic properties. Decolov is 100 percent PVC free and environmentally friendly. Its textile-looking appearance makes it ideal for high quality, creative, and classy design.

Hahnemühle FineArt Baryta Satin is a barite paper with a white and satin-gloss surface. The amount of barium sulphate in the coating in conjunction with a microporous ink receiver layer provides exceptional image results with large color space and intensive coloring. FineArt Baryta Satin enables deep blacks, excellent image sharpness, and is ideal for B&W photography. High color density and brilliance ensure an outstanding sharpness of details to achieve high resolution and vivid images for photography and reproductions. The 100 percent α-Cellulose paper is acid free and meets the requirements for longevity according to ISO 9706.

Old world tradition meets innovation as Innova Art Ltd. introduces two new mould-made fine art papers—Innova Printmaking Rag 310 gsm and Innova Watercolour Rag 310 gsm. New in 2016, these papers are 100 percent rag, natural white—no OBA, and possess an enticing tactile response. They are available in standard sheet sizes and rolls up to 60 inches.

Kapco Graphic Products offers PSA 6 mil Canvas Textured White Vinyl – Permanent Adhesive. It simulates the texture of canvas and can be used for both interior and exterior signage. It is compatible with OEM latex, solvent, and mild-solvent inks.

Kodak Professional Inkjet Artist Canvas, Matte Finish is a medium textured, two-over-one weave, polyester/cotton blend canvas that features a water-resistant matte finish. This high-quality canvas is ideal for fine art and photographic reproductions utilizing the latest dye and pigmented inks.

LexJet offers LexJet Sunset by Fredrix Matte Canvas. It features one of the highest white levels available for an OBA-free canvas. It’s easy to work with for stretching, mounting, and framing, and is ideal for fine art and photographic reproductions on canvas. The acid-free, pH neutral, polyester-cotton base provides consistency throughout the print run.

Mactac IMAGin DecoFresco DF052 wall media is an 8-mil, unique flattened plaster finish on a white calendered PVC film designed for latex, UV, and solvent-based inkjet printing. The product is coated on one side with a clear removable acrylic pressure-sensitive adhesive and supplied with a 90# SuperFlat P.E. coated kraft liner. DecoFresco is ideal for providing a short-, medium-, or long-term textured wall mural to any smooth surface. In addition, it’s easy to install and scratch resistant.

Neenah Paper is a manufacturer of both flexible and rigid wide format material that is 100 percent paper based. The company’s wide format portfolio provides solutions for projects such as display graphics, photo/industrial art, decorative wall décor/mural, and rigid/board material for indoor and limited outdoor use.

Pacific Coast Fabrics stocks a number of options for artist canvas, ranging from smooth, flawless surfaces, to textured fabrics that impart a dimensionality to the print. Each work in either a rigid frame system or stretched on a traditional wooden frame. Deco-Structure is a premium fabric similar to Poly Duck, but with a unique surface structure and soft hand. Deco-Structure’s textured surface provides excellent print definition and is ideally suited for portrait and close up visual renderings where clarity is a must.

Using Unifi, Inc’s Repreve, a leading recycled fiber brand, Perception Wide Format Media’s Canvas 2.0 canvas is eco-friendly and environmentally sustainable. It contains a proprietary formula, surpassing industry standards in terms of stretching, imaging performance, and consistent quality, from roll to roll. These features yield minimal waste, saving users time and money.

Premier Imaging Products is a leader in engineered printing and finishing solutions for the digital printer. Its goal is to supply the highest quality, most stable printing systems on the market. From the PremierArt line of Wilhelm Certified fine art papers and canvas, to protective coatings, it is committed to bringing the finest quality, most permanent products to the digital world.

Presto Tape WallFab Pearlescent is a 15-mil repositionable adhesive-backed smooth canvas fabric with a pearlescent finish. It is printable with UV, latex, solvent, and eco-solvent inks. WallFab Pearlescent is ideal for wallcoverings, wall murals, and point of purchase signage. It is PVC-, phthalate-, and lead-free and made in the U.S. WallFab Pearlescent adds a unique shine and pop to the graphic and is very easy to install. It can be a permanent or temporary application as it does not damage the wall when removed.

Qué Media, Inc.’s PPRCAN is its newest development. A fine art photo paper with a high-gloss finish it features a canvas texture applied to the photo paper. When placed in a frame, it looks exactly like a gloss canvas. EZTAQUE is also new to the market. A super heavy fabric with pressure-sensitive adhesive, it is geared for easy application and durability as a wallcovering.

Recognition Systems Inc./Dotworks Nature Jet Dual Side is a coated 100 percent cotton paper available at 210 and 330 gsm weights in both a natural and bright white shade. These fine art papers, produced exclusively for Dotworks, render rich blacks and offer a wide color gamut to satisfy the requirements of today’s fine art printer.

Red River Paper is made from 100 percent cotton rag and features a lightly textured soft gloss surface. Palo Duro SoftGloss Rag gives the classic look of a darkroom photographic print with the performance of modern inkjet technology. Its surface look and feel reminds many of the traditional F-Type print. This OBA-free archival paper is ideal for museum-quality and conservation-grade photographic prints.

Top Value Fabrics offers 6.5 oz. Synthetic Art Canvas, manufactured with a superior inkjet receptive layer. After imaging, the fabric yields outstanding color consistency, excellent image sharpness, and a wide color gamut. This synthetic art canvas is a versatile choice for a variety of fine art, art-related, and upscale display applications. These include fine art reprints and interior decor, as the canvas may be stretched and framed for art reproductions and panel installations. This textile is ideal for canvas printing, and is printed for a variety of specialty displays, backdrops, and banners.

Ultraflex Systems Inc.’s True Canvas Giclée 65/35 is an 11.0 oz. canvas that is a 65/35 cotton/polyester blend with an acrylic-gesso top coat. The coating may be folded and stretched without cracking and provides a uniform low-glare finish. True Canvas Giclée 65/35 is free of heavy metals and is designed to offer a crisp detail and rich tonal range. The material is available in matte and gloss finishes and is ideal for fine art reproduction and other art décor applications. True Canvas Giclée 65/35 is available in widths from 54 to 80 inches and may be printed using solvent, eco-solvent, UV, and Latex inks.

Verseidag US seemee 3P Value Premium Backlit was developed for LED lightboxes and backlit applications using direct or transfer dye-sub print outputs. Its premium printability, tight weave, and wrinkle/crease resistant yarn makes this product ideal for a number of high-end interior applications.